The Suoh Mystique
by Queen Tut
Summary: Mika Suoh is Tamaki's twin sister, whose just come back to Ouran after two years missing. But, as more and more of Mika and Kyoya's complicated past is revealed, the more the host club starts to discover: not everything is as it seems. KyoyaXOC
1. Chapter 1

The music room was alive with the romantic buzz of naïve young women being charmed by sultry young men. The princely protégés wooed the young girls effortlessly with their unnaturally intense good looks and their arguably immense natural talent. The girl standing outside and peering in through the door tried to imagine the possible reactions she'd receive when she walked in. This world that she was witnessing, the entire entity of it, felt so foreign, so unreal. Everything felt so uncertain.

Finally, Tamaki-sempai, one of the only two people here she knew, caught a glimpse of her in the doorway. Immediately, he politely excused himself from the girl he was talking to and bounded over. "Mika-san!" He called. Not expecting anything less, Tamaki threw open the door and spun her around a couple times with his arms around her neck. "Mika-san! When did you get back? I knew you'd come!"

Rather than placate Tamaki with a response, Mika found herself preoccupied with the attention he had now drawn to them. "Uh, Tamaki? People are staring." she muttered.

Tamaki glanced up to see the semi circle that had formed around him and his guest. He paused for a moment and slicked back his hair. With a perfect half grin of sorts, Tamaki proclaimed, "Gentlemen, may I introduce, Suoh Mika, my twin sister."

After a few moments of an awkward silence, two boys who Mika assumed were identical twins, started laughing obnoxiously. "Twin sister?" they both chuckled.  
>"Yeah, right boss." one said, as they both began to circle around Mika like sharks.<br>"You do realize that just because you're both blonde doesn't make you twins right?" the other smirked, twisting a lock of Mika's hair.  
>"Hey, quit it." She tried to move herself away as the twins started pulling and playing with her hair and shirt, but her discomfort only encouraged them.<p>

"Wow, are you really Tamaki's twin sister? That's so cool! Would you like a piece of cake?" a small boy asked. Mika appreciated the blonde boy's attempt to be friendly, but it was hard to appreciate his offer over the twins' taunting.

"I didn't know Tamaki had a sister." a rather feminine looking boy thought aloud.

"Hey you two!" Tamaki shouted, trying to get to Mika, "She's really my twin sister, we're fraternal, why would I be lying?"

Finally, Kyoya slammed the book he'd been writing in shut, drawing everyone's attention to him. "This is neither the time nor the place for inquiries." He gestured to the hoard of girls that had formed around them. "You all have services you need to attend to. Ms. Mika, if you would like, you may wait in the other room until all the appointments have been taken care of. If you would follow me…"

Looking at the girls apologetically, Mika slipped in between the twins and followed dutifully behind Kyoya, the second person she recognized here. "I'm sorry if I've caused trouble, Kyoya."

The dark haired 17 year old didn't look back as they weaved in between tea tables to the back of the room. "No apology is necessary. You cannot blame their curiosity."

He opened up a door, and Mika stepped into a room that looked as though it was a kitchen. Without turning around, she heard the click of the door closing, leaving her alone in the small room full of sweets. She pulled out a chair and sat down with a low sigh. With nothing else to do, she took a small, elaborately folded piece of paper out of her pocket and started playing with the edges.

"So Mika…" Mika jumped, startled by the voice, and was surprised to see Kyoya still standing by the door. When she had heard the door close, she had thought Kyoya had left. He hadn't. Instead, here he was, staring at her with those knowing and plotting brown eyes, cool over the thin rim of his glasses. The way he harmlessly leaned against the door was casual, but the air that filled the kitchen seemed thick and suspicious. "What are you doing here?"

Mika stood up, straightening her back while trying to nonchalantly hid the paper she had pulled out. She smiled coyly, trying to distract him, "Can't I just say I was in the neighborhood and wanted to say hi?"

"Funny, considering how you tend to leave the neighborhood without saying goodbye." Kyoya took a step forward, like a cat prowling towards a bird with a broken wing. "First you leave in the middle of the night two years ago…. And now, you expect me, expect us all, to believe you just decided to come back, with no explanation, for no reason?" Another step. "We both know better than that, Mika."

"Don't try to pretend like you care." Mika spat, though immediately embarrassed by how much bitterness she still had shown. "I'm here because I've decided I want to be here for my brother, all right Kyoya? That's it. Not all of us have ulterior motives."

Having gotten even closer to Mika, Kyoya smiled slightly and reached out to touch her cheek. A chill ran across her chest, and Kyoya smiled at her discomfort, "You know me too well." He turned back to the door, leaving Mika standing, blushing in the middle of the room. "Oh, and by the way, Mika." He pushed his glasses up his nose and gave a knowing smirk. "Welcome back."


	2. Chapter 2

A couple hours later, Mika found herself sitting on the one of the pink velvet couches, surrounded by the host club. Tamaki and the twins, who Mika had learned were Hikaru and Kaoru, continued to argue pettily back and forth, while the small, unbelievably, 18 year old Hunny wistfully ate a piece of cake across the table. Kyoya and Mori were sitting at another table across the room, Kyoya writing in his little black book while Mori stretched in his seat, lost in his own thoughts while still keeping a watchful eye on Hunny.

Mika tried to pay attention to Haruhi, the only person she had met here that was somewhat normal, though very feminine. "So, Mika-sempai," Haruhi started, "What made you decide to come back to Ouran?"

In her peripheral vision, Mika saw Kyoya stop writing for a moment, his mouth curled in a barely noticeable smirk. He was waiting to hear what she was going to say, probably curious on what story she'd come up with.

But Mika wasn't easily trapped. She smiled, "Well, I had been travelling abroad for a while around Europe, but… I just really ended up missing Tamaki and Ouran. Thought it was about time I came back."

"Really?" Kyoya smirked. Everyone looked over at the Shadow King, who had stood up, and was pushing his glasses condescendingly back on his nose. "That was the best you could come up with?"

Even Tamaki and the twins had stopped their bickering, and were waiting to hear what Kyoya had to say next. Mika narrowed her eyes, and stared at Kyoya. What did he think he was doing? She shook her hair back, smoothed it with her hands. If Kyoya wanted to catch her, he'd have to do better than this. Finally, she stood up, turned to Kyoya and smiled. "What do mean, Kyoya?"

Kyoya smiled. The game was on. He started slowly pacing towards her. "I mean, your answer seems very vague and uninformed. What countries did you visit in Europe?"

Mika didn't even blink, "I spent most of my time in France, but did small excursions to England, Belgium, Germany and Italy."

"That's quite a lot of places. What were you studying?"

"It was an international business internship. I visited Japanese businesses and studied their techniques and methods…"

"If it was an internship, why hadn't Tamaki or I heard of it beforehand?"

"There was a sudden opening in the program; I didn't have time to…"

"Oh, I see, so it would've been too taxing to at least leave us a note." Kyoya was getting more abrasive, with each question getting louder, and Mika was finding it harder to come up with answers quickly. Kyoya's mouth twitched into a smile when he saw the beads of sweat start to form on Mika's brow.

He was winning.

"Kyoya-sempai, what's wrong with you?" Everyone now turned their heads to see Haruhi staring at the two arguing back and forth. Kyoya was taken aback for a moment, but didn't let it show. Usually Haruhi was very passive, unless something really got her upset. That's when the lawyer in her came out, the aggressive Haruhi. She stood up. "Why are you attacking Mika-sempai? She's done nothing wrong."

Kyoya didn't even bother looking at her. Instead, he calmly asked, "Haruhi, why do you need to interfere?"

"Because you're being completely unreasonable. You're making everyone uncomfortable, because you have no reason to attack Mika-sempai like this."

Light iced over Kyoya's glasses, hiding his eyes. He walked over to Mika, so that his face was only inches away from hers, ignoring the fact he was about a half a foot taller. "You abandoned everyone that night. You can't argue that. At the very least, you owe us an explanation."

And with that, Kyoya walked away, leaving Mika standing there frozen, every muscle in her body tense and on edge. Her throat felt dry, her knees felt stiff. Kyoya's icy words bit into every fiber of her being, and ate a hold through her chest.

Mostly because he was absolutely totally right.

The music room door slammed, and as it did so, it seemed to strike life back into the room. Mika sighed and turned around. "Thank you, Haruhi." She smiled, "Kyoya can sometimes be a bit hard to handle."

"If you don't mind me asking," Haruhi started, "Why was it that Kyoya sempai acted like that? What happened between you two?"

Before Mika could respond, or at least think of another excuse, she heard the twins, in unison: "Well, that was weird."

"I've never seen Kyoya sempai so obviously violent before." Hikaru stated.

"Yeah, usually he's tactics are a lot more covert." Kaoru agreed.

"Now, gentlemen, we must not see this as an attack on Mika." Tamaki announced. Mika couldn't help but laugh slightly to herself. It was so like her brother, to refuse to see disorder when it was obviously there. "Obviously," Tamaki continued, "Kyoya is very emotional seeing Mika after such a long period of time. I…" he choked up, "I KNOW I AM!"

Before she knew it, Tamaki bounded over and started twirling Mika in his arms, "Oh, Mika, you have to tell me everything about your internship! Was it exciting? What sights did you see? PLEASE tell me you brought pictures!"

Mika smiled as Tamaki continued to twirl her around and bombard her with questions she was only half listening to. She had almost forgotten how much she missed her brother, and his innocent naivety regarding the world. She hadn't worried about convincing him.

But Kyoya…

Suddenly, Tamaki let go of Mika. "Oh, crap." She thought to herself; she was sent spinning out of control with absolutely no sense of balance, and no way to avoid the table she was heading straight towards.

But, right as Mika braced herself for the crash, she instead found herself inside the arms of a hulking young man, her face in his chest and his arms around her waist. For the moment, Mika didn't care who it was; she was just grateful to have something to lean on as she waited for her head to stop spinning. Finally, she looked up.

"Are you okay?" Mori was looking down at Mika, and for a moment, she was a little taken aback. If Kyoya were a head taller than her, Mori had to be at least three. His shoulders were massive and his chest felt like a rock, which you would never guess by his initial slim appearance.

"Yes," Mika said, after she had found her voice again. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you."

Mori nodded and let his arms off from around her waist, walking over to Honey as if nothing had happened. Mika smiled, "I guess heroics are just a daily thing for him." She muttered to herself. But, as she watched Mori walk away, the buzz of the music room becoming a blur, she couldn't help but wonder…

When he had caught her, Mika had originally thought it was Kyoya, coming back yet again to avert another disaster caused by her. But, looking up at Mori, Mika wondered if what went through her was disappointment… or relief.


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm so glad so many people are liking this so far! Sorry if it takes a while in between parts, but please feel free to tell me what you think!**

Kyoya felt his hands clench into fists as he watched Mika fall into Mori's arms. He felt his eyes narrowing and his face contorting into an even deeper grimace. Who did Mori think he was, nonchalantly playing the hero? The way Mori had looked at Mika… or even more upsetting, the way Mika had looked back…

A flood of emotions came over Kyoya, and he slammed his fist into the wall. "Why did you have to come back?" he muttered to himself.

"Kyoya-sempai?" Kyoya didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. But he did. And as he slowly rotated to make eye contact with the girl behind him, he immediately wished he hadn't.

Mika Suoh may have looked different after two years, but she still looked just as beautiful as Kyoya had remembered her every day. The flowing blonde hair that used to curl to her chest, but was now cut just above her shoulders. The deep purple eyes that she shared with her brother, although Tamaki's gleamed with purity and innocence while Mika's shone with an eternal knowing and strength. The smooth angled face, the pale skin…

When Kyoya didn't say anything, Mika sighed and continued, "I'm sorry if I've done anything to upset you. But you have to believe that anything I tell you… for now…" Kyoya saw the tears that she was holding back, and he resisted the urge to reach forward and wipe them away. But she didn't break eye contact with him: "You have to believe I have my reasons. I'm asking you to trust me."

Trust her? After everything that she had done, Mika was expecting _this_ to be the explanation he was looking for? Kyoya wanted to scoff, to rebuke every single word she had said, find out every single secret she was hiding.

And yet, another part of him wanted to trust her.

Or maybe… he could just do what he did best. He put on a smile and looked at Mika. "There's one fatal flaw to your story." Kyoya walked over to where Mika had dumped some of her things outside of the music room, and picked out a tattered looking guitar case. "There's absolutely no way you'd travel around Europe for international business."

Mika smiled back and caressed the side of the guitar case. When she'd gone to Ouran, she had frequently shared fantasies of her music career with Kyoya. Just as Tamaki was a piano prodigy, Mika was a master of guitar and songwriting, able to fit the perfect chord with the perfect lyric. "You know me too well."

Kyoya smiled a little more, "You know, the host club has been rather lacking in live entertainment. Perhaps, if you're interested in staying around, you provide a little mood music to the music room."

He handed the guitar over to Mika, and as he did, their hands touched. It was only for a moment, but the feeling of Mika's skin against his sent a rush of memories through Kyoya. A chill was sent up his spine, and he pulled his hand away quickly once Mika had a good grip on the handle. She nodded, "I'd like that, Kyoya. If you don't mind."

"I wouldn't have suggested it if I did. You're talent is unmistakable, and I trust you'll create a suitable repertoire to share with our guests."

There was a noticeable flinch at the word 'trust,' and it lead to an awkward silence between them. "Kyoya," Mika started, but was soon interrupted by Tamaki.

"Mika-chan!" He shouted. "The limo is here!"

"Okay!" Mika shouted back. She gathered the rest of her things in her arms, and finally turned to Kyoya. "Thank you, Kyoya. You don't know how much this means to me."

Kyoya merely nodded in response and watched as Mika ran over to Tamaki. He pushed his eyes back of on his nose, and internally relished the fact this was going so well.

Since Mika had refused to tell him the truth when confronted directly, Kyoya was left with no other choice. The host club meetings would be the perfect time to watch Mika, uncover her true intentions without causing those damned walls to come up in his way.

In the very back of his mind, memories of him and Mika pricked at his skull like an ice pick, moments they had shared between them strewn through his stream of consciousness. There was no doubt he still had intense feelings for Mika, both good and bad. But he was willing to do whatever it took to find out what happened to her.

He needed to find out what he had done to make her want to leave.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry it's been a while. A little subtle backstory on the Suohs, a little tension between Mika and Grandmama Suoh…. Please feel free to review!**

Later on that night, Mika sat in the living room with Tamaki. His fingers slid gracefully, almost effortlessly over the piano keys and Mika strummed some matching chords on her faded, red guitar. "So," Mika started, "Grandmother still won't let you live in the mansion?"

Tamaki smiled, but it was a sad smile. Maybe Tamaki was a bit naïve, but he wasn't clueless. Mika knew that Tamaki knew things, he just didn't understand all of it. Or maybe he didn't want to. "Grandmother is very busy. When she has time, and when I've proven myself, her, Father, you and me will all live in the mansion." Tamaki smiled again, wider and more genuine. "We'll be a family."

Mika sighed. "Tamaki, you don't have to work to impress Grandmother. We're all still a family, even if she doesn't want to admit it."

Tamaki continued playing his piano, and Mika knew he was only half paying attention to her. "I missed you, Mika."

Mika stopped strumming and looked up. Tamaki hadn't stopped playing, but he had the same look. That melancholy smile. Mika gently laid her guitar on the couch, making sure it wouldn't fall. She walked over and sat next to Tamaki at the piano, putting her arm around his shoulder and giving him a hug, "I missed you too, Tamaki."

Suddenly, Tamaki stopped playing. "Mika?" He asked, his face turning expectant and excited like a puppy. "Tell me about living with Father and Grandmother, before."

Mika felt her heart stop for a moment, and she took her arm away from Tamaki's shoulder. "Tamaki, why do you want to hear about that?"

Tamaki continued to look, this time with his puppy eyes. "Please?"

Mika sighed. "It was lonely." Tamaki cocked his head, his subtle curiousity forcing Mika to continue, "You know, Father tried to sneak me into Japan without being discover by Grandmother, and planned on bringing you and Mama in later, but… it didn't work out that way. Grandmother found out and didn't want anyone to know, so I was mostly kept here, homeschooled. Father would show me photos and tell me stories about mother and you, about how somewhere I had a brother." I stopped and put a hand on Tamaki's. "You have to understand how lucky you were to live with Mama. Just because I stayed in Japan doesn't mean I had it better, Tamaki. In all honesty, I hated my childhood until you came."

"It's just, I've only known you so long, Mika. I want to know more about you, about the time I couldn't spend with you."

Mika sighed. Sometimes she forgot about how vulnerable Tamaki really was. Really, she was the only close family he had. And, in a way, she was a little worried he hadn't brought up her disappearance as avidly as Kyoya. Mika put her arm around Tamaki again, "We'll have plenty of time. Don't worry."

"Ms. Mika?" Mika turned to see a butler walk into the room. "Mrs. Suoh would like to see you."

Mika's jaw tightened, "Of course." She gave Tamaki's shoulder a quick squeeze before getting up, "We'll talk later, okay?"

"Mika?" Tamaki said while Mika was still in the door. Mika froze, afraid that he'd start talking about Grandmother and Father again. But instead, Tamaki smiled, "I heard Kyoya asked you to play for the Host Club. We should do a song together."

Mika sighed, the tension leaving her shoulders briefly. She turned her head around for a moment, "I'd like that."

And with that, Mika left the room, the elegant notes of Tamaki's piano fading softly until she reached her Grandmother's door.

Mika opened the door slowly, and saw her Grandmother sitting by the window, shrouded in shadows despite the sun pouring in. "Mika, sit down."

Mika closed the down behind her and kept her eyes to the ground as she walked towards the empty chair. "Yes, Ms. Suoh."

Shizue Suoh didn't even bother to turn around as Mika sat down. "What do you think you're doing, Mika?"

"I'm doing what you told me, Ms. Suoh."

That's when Grandmother turned around, her head whipping like a snake, her eyes piercing into Mika's. "You're doing the opposite of what I told you." She turned back around, leaving Mika to stare at the back of her head, "I let you back in Japan, Mika. I can just as easily send you on the next flight out."

"No!" Mika scolded herself silently for speaking too quickly. She closed her eyes, took in a deep breath. She hated Ms. Suoh. She hated the way she treated Tamaki, she hated the way she ran the Suoh company. She hated her Grandmother with every fiber of her being. But, she could send her out of the country and never let her back in. And Mika couldn't afford that. Mrs. Suoh had her under her thumb. "What do you want me to do?"

"What I told you. Keep an eye of Tamaki. Make sure he doesn't do anything in that stupid Host club that will endanger the company. Don't let him grow too close to those commoners, either."

Mika raised her head a moment. "You mean Haruhi?"

"Haruhi especially. But if Tamaki ever wants to make it in this company, he can't keep surrounding himself with these insecure whores." She stood up, and walked to the door. "Keep him in line, Mika. He is only here to continue the company." She paused before she hit the door. "And you're only here to make sure it stays that way."


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, I know this one's a little long, but I've been working on it for days so I can make it perfect. Tell me what you think! **

The next day, Mika came early to Music Room #3 and set up her own little music corner. She had chosen a spot away from the traffic of the Host club, but still close enough so that everyone could be able to hear. She bought a small yet sophisticated sound system with her Grandmother's credit card, making sure to spare no expense, and had brought her old guitar. She hadn't had time to write anything original lately, but she was always ready to play whatever was thrown at her.

The only problem was the stupid sound system. Mika sat there, on the floor, her hands tangled in wires as she tried to find out what she had done wrong. "I don't get it," she said out loud, "Green wire to the mic extension, but not until the red wire is connected with the A/C adapter. But where'd that blue wire go again?"

"Trouble?" Mika turned around and looked up to see Mori staring down at her with Hunny on his shoulders.

"Uh, yeah, a little bit," Mika said, trying to unweave herself from the web of wires she had trapped herself in.

"A new sound system?" Hunny said, jumping down from Mori's shoulders, "You're going to be playing music for us?"

"Uh, that was the plan, until technology decided to ruin my life." Mika complained.

Hunny smiled and came over, swooping away all the wires in one big twist, "Here let me help."

"Oh no, you don't have to…"

"It's no problem. I'll have it done in no time. Takashi, why don't you entertain Mika-san until I'm finished?" Hunny skipped over to the outlets and started working away, leaving Mika kneeling awkwardly by Mori.

Almost immediately, Mori held out his hand in a silent gesture to help Mika up. Not realizing how much her legs had cramped over the past half hour on the ground, Mika couldn't have predicted how hard standing was going to be. "Oh crap," she yelled as Mori gently swept her on her feet. She was standing, yet she couldn't stay still without a knee giving out.

Mori took her by the arm and lead her to a couch, "Here." When they finally got to a couch, Mika collapsed, rubbing her leg to regain feeling. Before she could thank him, Mori asked, "Did you eat this morning?"

"Uh, no I didn't get the chance to." Mika said, still a little focused on her numb legs.

"That's probably why your legs cramped. You need breakfast. Wait here." And before Mika could protest, Mori was off and within a minute brought back a fresh plate of eggs, bacon and whole grain toast with strawberry preserves. Before she even knew what she was doing, Mika starting digging in. Mori smiled, and Mika stopped to breathe. "Thank you. I wanted to get here early, but I forgot about eating…"

"Yeah." Mori said, leaning back on the couch and keeping a watchful eye on Hunny. "You play?" He said, nodding towards her guitar.

"Mmm." Mika nodded with a mouthful of toast. She swallowed, "Yeah. Kyoya asked me to provide some entertainment, and I really wanted to spend more time with Tamaki, I mean especially after my internship in Europe. My grandmother wanted me to go, learn more about business…" Why was she still talking, making a fool of herself? But Mori just sat there, completely content, not saying a word.

"Well, Kyoya certainly seems like he wants you around." Mori said after she was done rambling.

Mika felt herself starting to blush, "I wouldn't say that. He didn't seem too excited to see me."

Mori shrugged. "Sometimes things change."

Suddenly, Mika felt really cold. Something that had been said so nonchalantly by Mori had really hit something deep inside of her. Over the past few days, Mika had been living off the memories of her and Kyoya. It seemed like each touch and each conversation they had felt like it was haunted by a shadow of what they used to be. Maybe….

Mori briefly took his gaze off Hunny and looked at her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Mika said, but was immediately embarrassed that her voice cracked. She cleared her throat, "Yeah. It's just… " She smiled sadly, "I mean, Kyoya and I shared so many memories together, and just now… I guess they may be just that. Memories. I may never be in that same place with Kyoya ever again."

"And what place is that exactly?"

Mika felt her blood run cold. The voice that had just spoken wasn't Mori's. Mika turned around to see Kyoya standing behind the couch, his glasses iced over with white light. Mika jumped up in surprise, even though she already had known it was him. But, she still didn't have all the feeling in her legs, and started stumbling backwards. And yet again, there was Mori, placing a strong hand on the small of her back, and grabbing her wrist to keep her steady.

Kyoya's aura seemed to grow even darker. "Well," he brought a finger to push his glasses farther up his nose, "Aren't we getting well aquianted?"

There was a strained silence between the three, the tension in the air making it hard to breathe. After a few moments, it was broken by Hunny, "All right, Mika, it's all set up!" He bounded over and grabbed Mori's free hand, "C'mon Takashi, let's go get some cake!"

Mori only hesitated for a moment, looking at Mika, "Are you all right?" When she nodded, he took his hand off her back, and lead Hunny to the kitchen.

So Mika and Kyoya stood there, staring at each other, one waiting for the other to make the first move.

Finally, Kyoya said, "You never answered my question. Where do you think we used to be?" Mika looked at her feet, the way she used to do when she was a kid. "Or, would you rather explain it to Mori, I'm sure he's a thrilling conversationalist."

Mika blushed, "Leave Mori alone, he was only trying to help."

"What, so a random guy you hardly know walks in, and you decide to give him your life story?"

Mika's brows furrowed. Where was this coming from? "I don't know why you're getting so worked up. Mori and Hunny came by early. Hunny set up my sound system, at no expense to you or the club, and Mori got me some breakfast." She felt a fire start in her gut, making her angry, "And why do I need to explain myself to you? You have no right…"

Kyoya suddenly grabbed Mika's wrist, and slammed her against the wall. One of his knees was digging into the wall next to Mika, the smooth fabric brushing up against Mika's bare leg. She started to sweat. He had trapped her. "You never answered my question," he whispered hoarsely in her ear, the pented up anger swirling in his breath and setting fire to her face, "Tell me: where's that place we used to be?"

Mika sighed, drowning in the flood of conflicting emotions that had come over her. She said softly, "It was when I was able to talk to you without you second guessing me. It was when I was able to come to you with anything because I thought you'd understand. It was when I trusted you more than anyone."

Kyoya grew cold. "Don't try to be the victim here. You have no idea what I had to do deal with when you left…"

Mika stared at him and turned just as cold, "Neither do you." After three seconds, with Kyoya's face only inches away from her's, Mika found the strength within herself to yank her wrist away. And, as she pushed Kyoya off of her, with great effort, she said, "All you do is interrogate me. But do you even care how hard it was for me? Not being able to see you, travelling all the time? I don't think you do." She started moving towards her sound system, muttering under her breath as she passed Kyoya, "Do you even remember?"

And so Kyoya was left standing there, frozen, his black book turning to ice in his hand. Yet still, he clenched his fists, and answered to the empty space in front of him, "Everyday."


	6. Chapter 6

"Welcome!" The host club crooned as the doors of the music room opened in a flurry of rose petals. All the ladies rushed into the Host club in one big swarm, congregating near their personal favorites while competing for their attention. It was loud and high pitched, and immediately Mika was thrust into the same environment she had witnessed when she first walked into Music Room #3. But, with a flick of a switch on her newly wired sound system, Mika quickly tuned her guitar, took in a deep breath…

And she played.

"Wow, Tamaki, is that your sister on the guitar?" asked one of the girls leaning next to him.

"Yeah," said another, blushing, "Her guitar is almost as good as your piano playing, Tamaki."

Tamaki smiled, "I'm flattered, princess. But, Mika's talent far exceeds mine." He smiled, and drew the first girl close to him, "In truth, it reflects all the things I feel about you."

As the young girl tried to control her small epileptic seizure, Kyoya, who was standing a few feet away, felt his grip tighten relentlessly on his pen, forcing him to stop writing. Mostly because, Tamaki was entirely right. Mika hadn't even started singing yet, and still each chord seem to ring through the entire room, every note floating around the young men, making them seem even more beautiful and appealing than they already were.

She was good. Really good. Kyoya finally looked up from his little black book and looked at Mika's face. Her eyes were closed and her fingers were moving smoothly from string to string. And still, her mouth was smiling and she had… almost a certain glow to her, a soothing aura that Kyoya had never seen before.

And finally, the last chord faded away, and Mika opened her eyes. The hosts politely excused themselves from whatever conversations they were having and lead the room in a round of applause.

Mika bowed her head and smiled, "Thank you. I'm glad you all enjoyed. Please enjoy your time with our hosts." With that, she put down her guitar very carefully and walked over to Kyoya. And with each step she took towards him, Kyoya noticed her aura fade a bit, until it was almost gone. Her eyes narrowed. "I need a break. Is that okay with you?"

Kyoya looked back down at his book, and pretended like he was writing. "Do whatever you wish. Just don't take too long." He used every will and fiber in his being to keep his cool façade, to not let Mika know how much her song had affected him. He still needed to find out what had happened.

"After all," he muttered out loud as she walked towards the exit. "Who knows when you'll leave again?"

Mika walked into the hall, and right as she did, she heard a voice she recognized as her father's on the loud speaker, "_Mika Suoh, please report to the Chairman' s office immediately. Mika Suoh."_

Mika sighed. Her morning hadn't started off quite well, and she really didn't feel like she had the time to deal with her father right now. She walked slowly through the somewhat crowded halls until she finally made it to the large ornate doors of the chairman's office. She opened the doors loudly and obnoxiously, hitting them with probably twice the effort needed, enjoying the sound they made as they slammed. "Can we make this quick, I have a date in Music Room Three that…" Her voice suddenly seized when she saw who was sitting at the Chairman's desk: her Grandmother.

Mika quickly gave a deep bow, "Ms. Suoh, I am so sorry, I was not aware…"

"Spare me your insolence." She snapped. "Sit down." Mika, still not looking up from her feet, shuffled to the seat and sat down quietly. "I have a job for you, Mika." She stood up slowly and leaned forward, "I need you to get rid of Kyoya Ootori."

Mika didn't have time to check her actions. She gasped and brought her hand to her mouth. "Kyoya? But…"

Shizue Suoh raised an eyebrow, "You knew when you came back to Japan I would make certain requests."

"Yes, but…" Mika cleared her throat, "I thought that meant keeping an eye on Tamaki, making sure the host club activities were in reason."

Grandmother's eyes narrowed, "The entire host club is out of reason. Even though Tamaki appears to lead that disgusting circuit, Kyoya is the true center of the Host Club. If you find a way to get him out of the picture," she smiled, "the entire host club will follow suit."

"But Kyoya…"

"Mika, don't forget. Your citizenship in this country is dependent on doing what I need. And I need you to get rid of Kyoya Ootori. Are we clear?" Mika held together her shaking hands, and her Grandmother started to leave, "Are we clear, Mika?"

Mika sighed, "Yes, Ms. Suoh."

Kyoya had been standing in the same spot for the past half hour, Mika's song stilling weaving back and forth in his head. And in the time Mika was gone, Kyoya had realized it was impossible to avoid her. Even when she wasn't there, she filled every thought in his mind, her music trapping his consciousness. It was like she had never left. All he could think about was her, every moment was her.

He needed her. And it killed him.

Finally, Mika walked back into the room and, without even a glance in his direction, she headed to her guitar. Kyoya shook his head and slammed his book shut. No. This had gone far enough. He walked as calmly as he could over to Mika. "Mika." She didn't look up, "We need to talk."

She sighed, and put her head in one of her hands, not looking Kyoya in the eye, which bothered him. "Kyoya, can it wait? I really don't want to argue with you right now."

Kyoya clenched his fists. How could one girl get such a passionate reaction from him every time he saw her? Did she have any idea? "Mika…"

"Kyoya, please. I'm a little busy right now…"

And, before either of them knew what was happening, Kyoya grabbed Mika's shoulder, and with his other hand on her cheek, pulled her close to him, and kissed her with all the passion he had been holding within him the past four days.

And Mika let him. Even though her Grandmother's words haunted her, she let Kyoya bring her in closer, ignoring the gasp of the host club and their patrons, the small fit Tamaki was having. Kyoya's lips relieved everything she had been holding inside her for the past four days. But, she knew that as soon as it was over, and they had finally separated, and she looked into his steel gray eyes, she would be forced to choose.

Her feelings or her citizenship. Her love or her life.

Kyoya, or her brother.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! Sorry this has taken a while. I thought this'd be a good place for a flashback of Kyoya and Mika, but I just had to keep on tweaking it… please comment! **

_**FLASHBACK: 2 years ago**_

_That's when she walked in. Mika Suoh, so alike yet so different to the Tamaki Suoh he had just met. While they looked almost identical, the same hair, the same eyes, Mika's personality was much more… subtle. Unlike her brother, she held a gaze of shyness and silence. Kyoya walked over, "You must be Mika Suoh. I'm Kyoya Ootori. I believe I just met your brother."_

_Mika held out her hand, and shook Kyoya's, not raising her gaze from her feet. "Nice to meet you." She muttered._

_Kyoya cocked his eyebrow slightly. Mika Suoh was the opposite of her brother. Shy, reserved, quiet. But, his father had specific requests: befriend the Suoh children to further the corporation. And that's what he intended. "Well, welcome to Ouran."_

"_MIKA-SAN!" Tamaki yelled, bounding over. Mika braced herself for Tamaki's grasp, but Kyoya could still see a smile on her face. "Oh, wow, you've met Kyoya, Kyoya's great, he said he's going to take us to Hokkaido tomorrow, isn't that great?"_

_Kyoya forced a smile. God, this kid was crazy. "You're welcome to come along with us, Mika." Slowly MIka smiled, and she said very quietly, "I'd like that."_

"_Good. I'll see you tomorrow then?" Kyoya said rather begrudgingly. He wasn't looking forward to this little "outing." Tamaki seemed like an annoying handful, and Mika, although calm enough, seemed rather boring._

_Tamaki started bouncing up and down, sometimes grabbing Mika's arm to try and get her to join in. "OH GOOD! HOORAY! KYOYA! MON AMI!"_

_Mika closed her eyes, shook her head and laughed very quietly, "Tamaki," she said in the same mouse like voice. "I think the Chairman wanted to meet with us before we went to homeroom."_

_Tamaki suddenly stopped jumping, "Oh, right. Well, let's hurry!" He then proceeded to grab her arm and start to drag her down the hallway at top speed. But, right as they turned a corner, something slipped out of Mika's pocket. Kyoya watched the item fall to the ground, small, gleaming in the sunlight filling the hallway._

_And as he walked over and picked it up, he realized it was something more important than just a trinket; it was a small book. A diary? Kyoya filled through and read a few things. He smiled. Yes. This could be useful._

_ Later on, Kyoya and Mika were sitting on the edge of a low wall separating the beach from the sidewalk, watching Tamaki run back and forth through the waves, picking up rocks and stones, like a distracted five year old._

_ The cool ocean air blew through Kyoya's hair and stung his eyes, the sand glowing with the last beams of sunlight touching the ground and slowly sinking towards the horizon. Casually, he looked over at Mika, and saw she was smiling affectionately at Tamaki, and, before he knew it, he was smiling too. Tamaki's personality seemed very infectious on everyone, Mika especially. His child like persona seemed to create a spark in Mika, a small happiness that lit up her face and made her eyes bigger and brighter. Tamaki's mere presence seemed to make her..._

_ "MIKA!" Tamaki shouted. Kyoya cringed. And then there was the fact Tamaki Suoh was the most annoying and immature person he had ever met in his entire life. He was loud, aggravating and at times, so stupid it was almost intolerable. "Has he always been like this?" he asked casually, trying to start a conversation with the stoic, yet subtly beautiful girl sitting next to him._

_ Her head jerked up, her entire chest jumping as if she had been yanked from a trace. "What?" She asked absently, with a cluelessness that aggravated him just as much as Tamaki._

_ "Your brother," he clarified, gesturing towards the unbelievably 14 year old boy, who was now chasing a crab into the crashing waves. "Has he always been this…" he searched for the right word, "Enthusiastic."_

_ Slowly, Mika's absent minded smile disappeared, and she was brought from her trance back to her shy small self Kyoya had seen earlier. "I wouldn't know." She said slowly, "Things between my brother and I have always been…" She sighed and started cracking her knuckles nervously. "Complicated."_

_ Kyoya couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, "Complicated?" Tamaki and Mika seemed to have such a great relationship… could there somehow be some dirt in between them, some small things that set them apart?_

_ "I'd rather not talk about it." Mika said quietly. Kyoya had to suppress a disgruntled sigh. How much was it going to take to get under this girl's skin? Mika Suoh seemed to have put up so many walls, how was he ever supposed to get close to her, or even become her friend? Mika seemed quiet and shy but… Kyoya sensed that wasn't all there was to this statuesque Suoh._

_ "I'm going to get some water." Mika said out of the blue. Kyoya nodded in acknowledgement and watched Tamaki as she started to walk down the road to a small shop. And there he stayed, watching the young boy running back and forth in between the waves. He thought to himself, about the book. Should he read it all? Should he give it back? He took it out and started playing with it in his hands, until he finally got up. He'd go and give it to Mika now. She was probably worried sick about it._

_ Kyoya started walking in the direction Mika had gone, purple journal still in his hand, until he heard something._

_ "C'mon girly, we won't hurt you."_

_ "We just want some fun. You like fun, don't you?"_

_ Kyoya felt his body stiffen, his blood boil. He ran the last few feet to see a crowd of five boys, circling and taunting a young girl like sharks. Kyoya didn't have to look to know it was Mika. He just knew. He put the journal back in his sweater, ready to take on the men._

_ Until he saw Mika's face, and was completely taken aback. For the first time, Mika wasn't looking down at her shoes or shyly away. Mika was standing straight and tall, her face hard and unimpressed. At a glance, she almost looked intimidating. Her hands were clenched into fists and her eyes were a new shade of purple, an almost dark menacing blue. "Leave me alone."_

_ "I suggest you do what the girl says." Kyoya said. His arms crossed and his smirk clear, despite the fear swirling in his chest. "It looks like she means business."_

_ "What are you, her boyfriend?" one man said, cracking his knuckles as he asked. "Maybe we should teach you how to mind your own business."_

_ And before Kyoya could do anything, Mika acted first. Mika turned to the guy closest to her and punched him as hard as she could in the nose. As he fell, her foot purposefully caught his groin, and she slammed her knee into his face. Four of the other men tried to gang up on her, but Mika took them all on, dealing out her own punches while dodging theirs in a perfect American boxing style technique. And for a moment, Kyoya just stood there; sure Mika was going to win._

_ Until he saw a calloused fist connect with Mika's cheek, her blind side completely taken advantage of, as the sound of her jaw cracking filled the alley._

_ And as Mika crumpled to the ground, the pain throbbing through the right side of her face, Kyoya jumped into action. He quickly ran to Mika and stood over her limp form kneeling on the ground. "Stay down." He said firmly, trying to ignore the fact the group of men had almost doubled in size, and he only knew a little amount of jujitsu. Yet still, Kyoya narrowed his eyes… and hit first. The adrenaline pumped through his veins as he protected the defenseless Suoh. He punched and kicked, dodged and dipped, and although his phone with his personal police force was a reach away, he felt no need to take it out. This was his battle, his responsibility to fight for Mika. The need to protect this girl whelmed inside of him…_

_ Mika was his._

_ Suddenly, Kyoya heard the sirens. Apparently, a nearby shopkeeper had seen the mess and called the police, and the new legal presence had caused the once confident gang members to scatter. Once the police started to take care of the situation, Kyoya knelt down by Mika, his knuckles sore and raw. "Are you all right?" he asked, cupping her hands in his, trying to maneuver them away from her face to see the damage._

_ Mika gave a weak laugh, trying to draw attention away from the dark purple and black bruise already starting to appear on her face. "I'll manage." She looked up and for the first time, Kyoya was able to look right into her bright purple eyes._

_ And it was like seeing her for the first time. The fire, the passion, the pooling tears she refused to let escape despite the searing pain in her face. "I'm sorry, usually I'm not so clumsy."_

_ Kyoya shook his head, "You just got attacked by 20 plus men, and you're apologizing?"_

_ Mika laughed wryly again, "Point taken. Are you all right?"_

_ Before he could answer, ambulance paramedics came over to them, lifting Mika into a rolling bed despite her objections. At the same time, two policemen tried to take Kyoya aside for statements. "Wait," Mika called, grabbing on Kyoya's shirt. She looked up again, "Thank you. Really. I don't know many people who would've done that for me. I feel like…" She laughed slightly and looked at him again with that intense, fiery look. "I feel like I can trust you."_

_ And again, Kyoya was left speechless as Mika was rolled away to an ambulance and her overly protective brother, who was now completely spazzing out. And, as he systematically answered the policemen's questions, he had thought about what Mika had said, this completely new Mika who was confident, strong… who trusted him. Kyoya pushed his glasses farther up his nose, and knew that he'd have to trust her too. Because Kyoya had tasted the look in Mika's eyes, the adrenaline rush of pure passion and energy that had shook him to his core._

_ And he was hooked._


	8. Chapter 8

The separation of Kyoya and Mika's lips was slow and reluctant. The host club and their guests watched them, as if in slow motion, peeling away from each other, eyes still closed, taking in slow breathes of air. And when they finally opened their eyes to look at each other and the trance was broken, everyone screamed. Kyoya grimaced, and took Mika's wrist. Without a word, he pulled her past the confused twins and girlish boy, the smiling Lolita and his stoic protector, the screaming girls and crazed brother, to a room where they had confronted each other only a few days earlier. Kyoya pulled Mika inside, and quickly locked the door behind him.

And that's where they stayed for a few moments. Mika, leaning back on the table with her head in her hand, conflicting emotions running rampant through her mind, and Kyoya, leaning forward against the door, head down, as if holding back an unseen threat, both terrified, yet taking comfort in the mere presences of each other. Finally, it was Mika that spoke, "What was that?"

Kyoya flinched at the way she phrased her question, yet slowly turned around to face her. Honestly, this was the last thing he wanted to do. Letting Mika know how he felt meant tearing down all the walls he had ever put up, taking off all his cold facades and detached disguises, and bearing his soul to a girl he didn't even trust completely. But, as reluctant as Kyoya was, he knew there was no way to avoid what he felt. He had started this. And now there was no turning back.

Kyoya took a step forward, "Everything."

"What?"

"It was everything. An apology. A confession. All the things I've held inside over the past few days, and everything I remember about us. Mika…"

"Stop."

Kyoya felt his blood run cold. "Would you at least let me finish?"

Mika was wiping away tears from her eyes. "Kyoya, I'm sorry but I can't do this."

Kyoya blinked a few times, "Can't do what?"

"I can't be there for you the way I should be. Yes, we had something in the past but…"

Kyoya grabbed her back the waist and kissed her again, hard and deep. And as much as Mika loved it, loved him, wanted him more than anything in the world… her Grandmother's orders ate at her like a parasite in her chest. So she pushed away, and out of his firm grasp, but he still grabbed her wrist, preventing her from turning away fully. "You can't tell me you didn't feel anything. You can't tell me the hell I've been going through the past week has been for nothing…"

Mika couldn't hold back the tears now. Kyoya was right. He was always right. But she couldn't bear to love him and then betray him. Her grandmother had the power to take her away, not just from Kyoya, but from everyone. She couldn't risk it. But… even if she succeeded, and Grandmother let her stay in Japan a few more months, or even just days, would she really be able to live in Japan if it meant not being able to be with Kyoya?

Kyoya took a ragged breath and looked away. "I don't know how much longer I can go on like this." He said hoarsely, "Pretending as though I don't care if you come or go. I want you to stay, Mika."

_I can't stay,_ Mika thought, contradictions flying through her head, _If I'm with you, I can't stay. _"Kyoya…"

Suddenly, the click of the loudspeaker went off again, and a voice rang through the room, "_Mika Suoh, report immediately to the Chairman's office. Mika Suoh, immediately."_

Mika flinched; as she started to move away, Kyoya's grip tightened on her wrist. "Don't go."

Mika closed her eyes, and thought to herself, _I don't want to._ "I have to. I'll be right back." Then, slowly, Kyoya's strong fingers loosened, and she quietly slipped out the side entrance straight into the hallway, using every fiber of her being not to look back, instead trying to focus on what to say to Grandmother.

And as the door closed, Kyoya fell on a chair, head in his hands. What had he gotten himself into with Mika Suoh?

"What is the meaning of this?" Granmother demanded as Mika opened the door.

"It's not what you think," Mika started, still not quite sure what her excuse was going to be.

"I gave you a direct order," Grandmother continued, "And not even 5 minutes after I do so, I hear that almost every girl in the entire school saw you and the Ootori boy…" She took in a deep breath, as if it pained her to even say the words. "You better have a good excuse, Mika."

"Grandmother," Mika said, her voice barely above a whisper. Until finally, the idea hit her.

"Well?" Her grandmother prodded.

Mika had to use all her will not to smile at the deception. "It's all part of my plan, Ms. Suoh." When Grandmother said nothing else, she continued, "As you are aware, Kyoya and I have a past, a past that Kyoya hasn't quite gotten over…" The lies slid off her tongue, her mind frantically improvising as she slowly continued, "I decided to use that to my advantage. The closer I can get to Kyoya, the easier it will be to discover his secrets. Maybe even the secrets of the Ootori organization in general."

Ms. Suoh raised her eyebrow, and for a second, Mika was panicked that she hadn't bought the offhand lie. Her grandmother took a step forward sand leaned in close, her eyes like a snake's watching from the grass. "This had better work, Mika. I'd be more willing to support an immediate solution, but will let you continue for the time being. And if it doesn't work, I'll make sure both you and that boy never set foot in the same country again."

Mika gulped. "Yes, Ms. Suoh." Then, without even waiting for permission to leave, Mika ran out of the room, down the hallway, through the side door of the music room, and into the small room, where Kyoya was still sitting. At the sound of the slamming door, he stood up… and Mika ran to him, her face slamming into his chest, his arms wrapping around her comfortingly after the brief second of surprise.

"I want to stay." Mika whispered, burying her face further in Kyoya's chest as one of his hands went to pet her hair.

"Then stay with me." He whispered, and together they stood, Kyoya somewhat at peace but Mika still frazzled. If anything, she had delayed the threat of her Grandmother, not destroyed it. And she still thought Mika was trying to destroy Kyoya.

Mika wrapped her arms tighter around Kyoya. No, she wouldn't destroy him. But maybe, if she stayed close enough, she could find a way to protect him.


	9. Chapter 9

_Meanwhile…._

"WHAT WAS THAT?" Tamaki screamed. Ever since Kyoya's spontaneous act of romanticism, the host club had attended to all the girls and promptly closed early. Now, they were cleaning up and Kyoya and Mika still hadn't come back yet.

"Well, don't get me wrong, boss," Hikaru started, putting his arm around Kaoru, who continued, "But I think Kyoya and Mika…" They smiled together as they completed the thought, "just hooked up."

"Hooked? Up?" Tamaki swooned dramatically, fainting on the nearest couch.

"Well, looks like Ouran's power couple is back in business." Hikaru and Kaoru sung simultaneously.

"Back in business? You mean, Kyoya and Mika have dated before?" Haruhi questioned while clearing off some dishes off a table.

"Oh, they more than dated," Kaoru said, he and his brother eager to spread such juicy gossip. Hikaru finished, "They were practically a married couple."

"Oh, when Mika was here before, she and Kyoya were always together! They were even named Ouran's cutest couple!" Honey sung as he ate the strawberry off a piece of cake.

"Yeah," Mori concurred, though Haruhi noticed he had a somewhat far off look in his eye she just couldn't place. But then again, no one ever really knew what Mori was thinking.

"Huh," she said to herself, "I never would've guessed it from the way they've been acting this past week."

"But that's the best part." Hikaru and Kaoru said. "The day before Mika left, she and Kyoya had a big argument."

Hikaru nodded, "Huge. Then, without a word, neither of them comes to school." Kaoru smirked, "Kyoya came back after two days." Hikaru leaned forward, "Mika didn't come back for two years."

"Stop it, both of you." Tamaki said. Haruhi looked over to see Tamaki now sitting on the couch, his head hung over his lap and his hands together on his lap, resigned. He had lost his melodramatic façade, and was now looking at the floor. "Don't tell stories that you can't finish."

"Sempai…" Haruhi said, concerned. Tamaki had obviously been hurt by the twins gossip, the cruel taunts bringing back memories of his long lost sister… or perhaps, his unfortunate lack of.

Finally, he stood up. "Gentlemen, although we may not know everything about Kyoya and Mika's relationship, it is important we embrace it with open arms. Kyoya and Mika are still a part of this club and this family, and although the dynamic has changed, they are still our friends."

"Well, duh, boss." The twins said, their eyes narrowed. "We weren't going to treat them any differently just because they're dating."

"I'm happy for Kyoya-chan and Mika-chan." Honey crooned. "I always thought they were cute together."

Yet, as Kyoya and Mika entered back into the room, Mori could not bring himself to follow Honey's statement with his usual grunt of approval. Instead, he looked at Mika's eyes, her hand inside Kyoya's… and remained silent.

"So, are you two officially back together?" The twins inquired, smiling.

Kyoya adjusted his glasses on his nose, "That is none of your business." He said bluntly, while still not removing his hand from Mika's. He may not be willing to proclaim his personal affairs to the world, but he still wanted them to know that Mika belonged to him and no one else. He had gone through too much to not be a little ostentatious.

Mika stared at the floor for a moment, not unlike her brother before. Back together. With Kyoya. She smiled, and although she knew her Grandmother was still expecting her to pull the floor from under him, Mika let the soft warmth of Kyoya's hand overtake her, flow into every empty crevice of her soul. For a moment, she wouldn't worry about her Grandmother or her schemes.

She looked up and took in deep breathes of the floral air of the host club. And for the first time in weeks, she didn't feel haunted by the dark shadows of her past. If anything, for once in her life, she felt better than before.

Later that day, Tamaki and Mika were riding home in the back of the Suoh Limo on their way to the mansion. Already, Mika had noticed Tamaki being rather quiet and unlike his usual, buoyant self. "Tamaki," she started, putting a reassuring hand on his knee. "Is everything all right?"

Tamaki didn't respond for a couple moments, but finally smiled, "No, everything's fine. Don't be silly, Mika-san." He turned to her, and although his voice was cheery, his eyes betrayed a sort of uneasiness. "Anyway, today's a happy day! You and Kyoya have made up, and now you're back together." Mika smiled, but inside her heart broke a little. _Tamaki, if only I could tell you what Grandmother has done. How she's controlling me… how she's controlling you… how she's using us all._ "Mika, I need to ask you something."

"Yes?" Mika asked, coming back to the real world after spacing for a second. "Anything Tamaki."

"You and Kyoya _are_ happy, right?"

Mika looked at Tamaki, confused. "Yes, Tamaki, of course we're happy."

"And you get along and he's good to you?"

"Tamaki, what is this about? Yes, we're fine, better than ever, what are you…"

"And if you fight…" Tamaki said, almost in a whisper, "If you and Kyoya get into a fight, no matter how bad, you won't leave again?"

The question hit Mika like a gust of cold wind. "Tamaki, is that what this is all about?" She couldn't believe this. Tamaki wasn't mad or upset that Kyoya and Mika were together. He was afraid. Afraid she would leave. "Tamaki, listen to me, it wasn't Kyoya's fault I left…"

"Was it my fault?"

"What? Tamaki, no…"

"Then why did you?"

And that's when she saw it. The pain, the hurt in Tamaki's eyes, the sense of betrayal and fear that he had been hiding ever since she got back. The feelings that he had tried to hold inside and not let anyone see. But, in a way, Tamaki was letting Mika see now, letting her glimpse a part of what was really bothering him inside. And, in a way, that showed Mika how much he cared… and it broke her heart even more.

Slowly, Mika reached her arms around Tamaki and pulled him close. "Tamaki, I'm sorry," she whispered, "I'm sorry that I hurt you and I'm sorry I had to leave without telling you. But know that it's not anyone's fault. Not Kyoya's, not yours. "

"If you're really sorry, then promise me something." Tamaki raised his head so he was staring Mika straight in the eye, "Promise me you won't ever disappear like that again."

Mika stared at Tamaki, took in a gulp of air, "Of course, Tamaki. I promise."

And as they drove back to the estate, the home that felt more and more like a prison each day, Mika prayed that the promises she made to Tamaki wouldn't be forced into lies.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey everyone! Sorry it's been awhile. I thought Mika and Kyoya deserved a little calm before the storm, so that's what I've been working on for a while. Hope every likes it, and PLEASE feel free to review!**

_**Flashback: 2 years ago**_

"_Mind if I join you?" Kyoya walked up behind Mika, taking a seat next to her despite not receiving an answer._

"_No problem." Mika said softly, giving a small smile. Politely, she put down her book, but didn't turn her head fully towards him. And although it somewhat aggravated him, Kyoya already knew why. Mika's right eye and cheekbone had turned into a huge black, purple and red splotched bruise, a new mark that brought many stares and snickers from the other classmates. She had covered it up barely with her long, wavy blond hair, yet she had refused the cover up other girls offered and half of her hair was in a ponytail. Kyoya found this strange. What was Mika feeling? Did she want to hide her brief scar… or could it be she wanted to show it off?_

"_How has your recovery been going?" Kyoya asked, trying to act less concerned than he was._

"_As good as it can," Mika shrugged, "A broken cheekbone and two ruptured blood vessels are bound to take a while."_

_They sat there in silence for a few moments, until Kyoya finally took in a breath, "Mika, what exactly happened?"_

_Mika shrugged again, and her nonchalant attitude about a serious situation annoyed Kyoya to no end. "They were messing around with the shop keeper I was buying my water from. I told them to stop, and they asked me if I wanted to have some fun," she waved her hand, "You know the story from there."_

_Kyoya's blood ran cold. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You mean to tell me you weren't attacked?"_

_Mika turned fully to face him now, and pointed to her face, swollen and bruised, "I wouldn't exactly say that, Kyoya, unless you'd like to explain to me how I got _this._"_

"_You provoked a group of 15 plus thugs? You brought it upon yourself?"_

"_What was I supposed to do, Kyoya? Let that poor shopkeeper take the blind abuse, get merchandise stolen, have his life ruined by a bunch of ungrateful screw-ups?"_

"_What you do is stand back, wait for the authorities to handle it!"_

"_I'm not just going to sit back and let someone get away with hurting people when I have the power to stop them."_

"_YOU COULD'VE BEEN KILLED!" Kyoya slammed his fist into the table, almost slamming Mika's arm. His ragged breathing filled the room. "You can't expect everyone to care as little about your life as you do." _

_Mika was a little taken aback for a moment, a flurry of emotions scattered through her head, but eventually said softly and coolly, "And you can't expect me to care as little about other people's lives as you do."_

_**PRESENT DAY **_

"I swear," Mika sighed, lying back on the sand and readjusting the sunglasses on her eyes, "Ouran Academy has to be the only school in the world where a day at the beach is an excused absence."

"Tell me about it." Haruhi smiled next to her. When Tamaki had wanted to take the host club to the beach, Mika had laughed it off as another one of his crazy ideas. But now, here they were, practically the entire female student body plus the host club enjoying a much needed day of rest and relaxation.

"Watch out!" Hikaru called out as the volleyball he and Kaoru had been ricocheting back and forth heading straight for Mika and Haruhi, hitting the ground just in front of them and sending up a wave of sand.

"Hey!" Mika yelled, as the little pieces of grit stuck to the layer of sunscreen she had slathered on only moments earlier. Haruhi wasn't nearly as affected: he still had on all his clothing, and the sand merely rolled off the fabric. "Smooth move, Kaoru!" Mika shouted sarcastically. "Now I need to wash off."

"It's about time you got up and actually started doing something." Hikaru shouted back, as Kaoru ran to go get the grounded ball. "Yeah," Kaoru smiled, "You should be thanking us."

The twins did have a point. They had been playing sports on the sand all day. Hunny and Mori had been playing in the shallow water, collecting sea shells. Tamaki and Kyoya had some money making, girl fawning scheme going on ever since they got here, combining Tamaki's princely charm and Kyoya's financial genius. Even Haruhi, who didn't even have a swimsuit, had gotten up at some point to play with Hunny.

"Ugh," Mika groaned. She stood up, stretched out the cramps in her legs, and headed towards the ocean, where Kyoya was tending to a line of girls waiting for Tamaki. "Is it bad that you've spent more time with literally every other girl here than me today?" She smirked as she approached Kyoya.

"Jealousy doesn't become you, Mika." He didn't look up from his little black book, but Mika could start to see the smirk on his face. "When there's an opportunity for profit, it's foolish not to take advantage of it."

"Kyoya, we're at the beach. This isn't about profit. This is about relaxing."

"Making money makes me relaxed. Unlike some people…"

Mika raised her eyebrow, "Are you saying I'm not relaxing?"

Kyoya let out and punctuated laugh, closed his black book, and ran a hand through his hair, "In all honesty… you're the most stressful thing that's ever happened to me." He took a step towards Mika, leaning in for a kiss, but at the touch of her skin, he immediately coiled back. "Yuck."

Mika put her hand on hips, defensive, "What?"

He gestured towards the thin layer of sand covering the front of her legs, stomach and arms. "I thought we were visiting the beach… not wearing it."

Mika sent a death glare towards the twins, but grabbed Kyoya's wrist. "Here, I'll race you to the ocean."

She pulled at him, but Kyoya didn't budge. "Funny. You say that like I'm actually getting in the water."

"Why not? It's burning out here and I'm sandy. And we both know you can swim."

"Ocean water is disgusting."

"Yeah so is this!" Mika laughed, waving a sandy arm in his face. "C'mon!"

Kyoya sighed, and closed his eyes. "I'm going to regret this later…" Slowly, he put his glasses and his black book on a nearby rock, and pulled his tank top off over his head. The group of girls surrounding Tamaki let out a slight gasp, and Mika winced at their admiration of Kyoya's toned chest. But, Kyoya just ignored them and turned towards the ocean, "Let's get this over with."

Mika smiled, "On your mark… get set... WHAT THE!" The next moment, Kyoya swept Mika up against his chest and ran them both out into the ocean. One hand was placed under her legs, the other wrapping around her arm and pressing her close to his solid chest in a surprisingly strong grip. At a loss for what else to do, Mika frantically put her arms around Kyoya's neck to keep her from falling, all the while screaming, "KYOYA THAT'S NOT FAIR! KYOYA!"

Finally, the shore broke off and Kyoya and Mika dunked under the waves. The cold water came as a shock, rushing all around her head, swirling her hair around her face, until finally she felt a hand close gently around her wrist and pull her up. Mika took in a gasping breath, and Kyoya chuckled slightly. "And you were worried about me swimming."

Mika coughed and laughed while trying to tread water, "That's not fair, I wasn't ready." Kyoya laughed quietly to himself, until he finally pulled Mika close to him to help her float. He wrapped his arms around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder. They had gone out so far, that now, looking at the shore, everyone seemed small and far away. "Remember the last time we went to the beach?" Mika said, looking up at Kyoya.

Kyoya's eyes turned strange. "Yes. You tried to take on a gang of thugs by yourself."

"I could've taken them."

"That was the scariest day of my life."

"Why, because you had to fight fifteen plus men?"

"Because you could've died." He said bluntly. A few minutes passed, until Kyoya said softly, "And after that I realized I wouldn't know how to live if I ever lost you."

Finally, Mika whispered, "Kyoya, let's forget it." She looked up, her eyes flashing, "Let's just forget about everything that's ever happened."

"What?" Kyoya asked.

"Instead of looking at the past, can we just pretend nothing ever happened? No mistakes, no haunting memories. No grandmothers or fathers. No hurt. Can we just start everything right now?"

Kyoya looked down at Mika, watching the last bits of sunlight glow in her shining purple eyes as the sun set behind them. Slowly, he tightened his grip around her waist, and brought his face to hers for a long, lingering kiss. At last, they separated, and softly he breathed on her lips, "Only if it never ends."


	11. Chapter 11

The next two weeks at the host club filled up the days with business as usual. The hosts hosted, Mika played her music… the twins pestered Tamaki, and Tamaki fulfilled their need for entertainment with his melodramatic reactions. Hunny ate cake, and Mori always made sure cake was there for him. Also, Mika had started talking to Haruhi when Kyoya was busy balancing his check books. For being a guy, Haruhi was very easily to talk to, and surprisingly very knowledgeable in the ways of women. It was almost as if…

"Kyoya, I want to ask you something," she asked one day, as they were walking back to the Ootori mansion from Ouran, a floral trek that was only one and a half miles and very beautiful in this early fall weather.

"Ask away." Kyoya responded, ignoring for the time being the sore dull pain in his leg. Although he personally hated these walks when the limo was just a call away, Mika always enjoyed the autumn colors and the cool fall air rushing through her hair. And although Kyoya would never really understand why, he indulged her with these little hikes.

"Is Haruhi a girl?"

Kyoya stopped walking, his eyebrows raised. Mika had figured out Haruhi was a girl? He let out a small snicker, "It took you this long?"

Mika's eyes widened. "So it's true… Why didn't you tell me in the first place?"

"I thought you'd be able to figure it out by now, it's not that difficult. In all honesty, I don't know how she's been able to keep the masquerade up this long…"

"Damn, I knew it… Wait, if she's a girl, then why is she hosting…"

"It's a long story; you can let her tell it to you when you tell her you know tomorrow."

"It all makes sense now… the beach and… Damn, why did it take me this long?"

Kyoya laughed, "Because sometimes you can be as blind as your brother."

Finally, they reached the Ootori mansion, the long lingering branches of red and orange trees cascading over it in a fiery eclipse. A fall breeze whisked some of the looser foliage, and the cool wind sent a small chill up Mika's spine and a shiver down her back. Kyoya sensed the reaction. "Are you cold?"

Mika smiled, "No, I'm fine. The Suoh Mansion's only another mile away."

Kyoya shook his head and put an arm around her shoulder. "It's getting cold. Come inside and warm up a little. Then we can call your brother to come pick you up."

Mika smiled, the ice king's warmth radiating through his uniform jacket. "All right. But only for a bit, Tamaki will get worried."

Together, the two made their way up the large, white elaborate doors of the mansion, where both were opened by servants at the first sign of their young master approaching. A maid was standing by the front door, a young girl of maybe 19 or 20. "Good afternoon, Master Ootori. I trust school went well?"

Kyoya sighed, not taking his arm from around Mika. "As good as it could possibly go, Miss Iroh. Please bring some two servings of fresh green tea to my room at the kitchen's earliest convenience." And although the words were said very casually, both Miss Iroh and Mika could tell he meant "bring it now, or you may not have a job in the morning."

As they made their way to Kyoya's room, Mika stopped, "Wait, Kyoya…" Kyoya turned again, and Mika blushed, "Where can I find a bathroom?"

Kyoya gestured down the hallway, "Down the hall, take a right, third door on your left. You remember how to get back to my room?"

"Yeah, I think I'll be fine." Quickly, Mika turned in the opposite direction, and tried to remember Kyoya's directions, even though he had just told her moments before. _Down the hall, take a left, third door on… the right? Or was it the second? God, who needs a house this big?_

Suddenly, as Mika was staring into space searching her mind for the correct directions, she felt a sudden crash. She ricocheted backwards, her chest rattling from the unexpected road block, "What are you…" She started to demand… until she saw the face connected to the body that had appeared in her path. The hulking figure of Yoshiro Ootori stood in front of her, his face menacing and not amused… Kyoya's father. "Mr. Ootori." She took a step back, folded her hands in front of her, and took a deep bow. "I am deeply sorry, I should've looked where I was…"

"Who are you?" He interrupted, surveying her with judgmental eyes, glasses iced over and scrutinizing just as his son's, only much more… hostile.

Mika closed her eyes and remained in her bow. "I'm Mika Suoh. I'm…" Had Kyoya told his father about her? About them? She decided to play it safe, "I'm friends with your son, Kyoya."

His eyebrows rose suspiciously and he adjusted his suit lapels, "Be that as it may, it gives you no right to wander around the Ootori halls as if they're your own."

"Your absolutely right sir." Mika assured, even though inside she was fuming. Yes, she had accidentally run into him, but she hated the "mightier than thou" attitude rich adults always thought they could get away with. Yoshiro's sense of entitlement made Mika want to stand up and push him again, harder, demand that _he_ get out of _her _way… but she didn't. Because she had also seen what rich adults were capable of. And that scared her more than anything.

"The next time I see you in this house, I expect you to be properly escorted. Get out of my way." And he continued past Mika towards the front. Mika finally stood up from her bow, her lower back sore and her heart racing from anger and fear. Mr. Ootori scared Mika almost as much as Ms. Suoh... and, although she loved Kyoya more than anything… it was her sincerest hope she'd never have to see his father again.

Kyoya sat casually in his room, tea already poured equally and perfectly between the two cups, sugar and milk waiting expectantly even though Kyoya never used either. _She better not have gotten lost…_ he thought to himself. Finally, he heard the door open. He smiled, "It's about time. The tea's getting cold." He stood up and turned around… to see his father standing in the frame of the door. "Father…"

"I just ran into the most unusual person in the hallway." He started and Kyoya braced himself. He had known this day would come, but he had tried to avoid it as long as possibly… it was just his luck Mika would run into his father to a place as simple as the bathroom. "A Mika Suoh?"

"Yes, I invited her to come in."

"Is that the girl who disappeared two years ago."

"Yes, she's Tamaki Suoh's sister."

"A Suoh direct relation… Kyoya, you haven't been, romantically involved with this girl, have you?"

Kyoya swallowed the bile starting to swell in his throat. "And if I was?"

Mr. Ootori took in a deep breath, his fists clenching. "Kyoya, you are to cut off all relations with Mika Suoh. You may keep contact with the boy, but that girl is of no use to us."

Kyoya felt his blood run cold. "What do you mean of no use? You wanted me to get closer to the Suoh family."

"Friends is one thing, Kyoya. If you and this girl get any closer, a connection such as marriage between our two families would do nothing to advance our company."

"The Suoh Corporation has connections with several advantageous businesses," Kyoya said smoothly, but inside his head he was gripping at straws. If his father decided Mika was no use to the company, he would stop at nothing to make sure Kyoya broke off all contact with her. He had worked too hard to get Mika back, and his father wanted to throw all that hard work, all that emotion in the garbage? "I'm sure that with the right resources…"

"There are much more beneficial matches to be made Kyoya, and I won't have you wasting your time on a flaky blonde who won't even give us a leg up in the stock market."

Conflicting emotions battled inside Kyoya's mind. He had always been loyal to the Ootori family and his father's wishes, had always known that following his orders was the way to ever become anything greater the cursed third son. But Mika… to sacrifice Mika merely because his father told him he to? His father turned to leave, convinced this was the end of their conversation. But Kyoya clenched his fist. "No."

His father stopped and turned around, "What. Was that?"

"I won't stop seeing Mika." Kyoya said, adrenaline rushing through his veins, flaming in his chest.

Yoshiro Ootori stared at his youngest son, surprised and appalled by his insolence. "You had such promise, Kyoya. Such hopes of rising above your brothers… and you're willing to give it all up… for a girl you met a month ago?" The men were silent, until Yoshiro finally turned around. "One week, Kyoya. You have one week to cut off all relations with this girl. And if you don't…" He stopped once more before closing the door behind him. "You can forget any hope of becoming anything more in the Ootori family than a mistake."

Mr. Ootori's sentence hung in the room like ice before he turned, slamming the door behind him, leaving Kyoya stunned, conflicted and angry.

A moment later, Mika walked in, "Okay, I made it… Kyoya? Kyoya are you all right?" She walked over to him, standing motionless and erect, and put a hand up to his cheek… until suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her close. "Kyoya, are you okay?" She asked.

Kyoya coughed slightly. "I'm fine," he said passively. "Come one, your tea's getting cold." There was no question. Kyoya loved Mika, more than anything. He'd known that ever since she came back, maybe even before. Having her here, in his arms, should've made the decision his father had presented him with so much easier.

So why did it just make everything that much harder?

Yoshiro Ootori hurried to his office, and slammed the door behind him. "No?" he said incredulously, repeating what his son had told him just moments before, "No? Who does he think he is? Where does he think he can get without me?" Kyoya had always been so easy to manipulate… but maybe he's son was more complex than he thought. He picked up the phone and dialed a number he knew now by heart. "Mrs. Suoh, this is Yoshiro. It appears we have a situation…"


	12. Chapter 12

"Gentlemen, I have an announcement!" Tamaki declared during the next club meeting, " On the request of the Ouran Chairman, and in honor of the upcoming Winter Holidays, the Host Club will be throwing a Winter Ball!"

"A Ball?" Haruhi asked. "Commissioned by the Chairman? What for?"

"Openings for the Spring semester are starting," Hikaru shrugged. "Plus," Kaoru added, "It's going to be a kick off for next semester's donations." They sung together, "Everyone's families are going to be there."

"Wow, everyone?" Mika said, sitting next to Kyoya and Tamaki, "That's a lot of people, Tamaki. Has the Host club ever done anything this big before?"

"Oh, Mika, this will be the wildest, grandest, most spectacular party Ouran Academy as ever seen!" Tamaki crooned, eyes already glowing vividly as possible Winter Wonderland fantasies and themes swirled around in his head.

Meanwhile, Mika was more concerned about Kyoya, who was staring off at the window a couple yards behind Mika's head. "Kyoya… Kyoya!" She shook his arm, and he slowly turned his head towards her. "Are you all right? You seem a little… out of it."

Kyoya shook his head, "No, no…" placing his arm around Mika's shoulder as if trying to prove it. "No, I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

Kyoya was quite for a few moments, but finally responded. "This ball, of course. It is a big event but… Tamaki's ideas aren't known for staying within budget."

Mika laughed, "Or within reason, for that matter."

Kyoya gave a smirk of appreciation at her comment, and turned to look at her, violet eyes sparkling at her brother, her blonde hair softly brushing the inside of his wrists… He drank in every moment of her as if it were his last..

"If you two lovebirds are done…" Hikaru said, leaning over Kyoya's shoulder as Kaoru strategically appeared over Mika's. Kaoru continued, "Some secretary just came to the door, and said that Mika's Grandmother is looking for her."

Mika visibly flinched at the mention of her Grandmother, and Kyoya, noticing, put a reassuring hand over her own. He could sense the emotions that plagued Mika at the mention of her Grandmother, more complicated than even Tamaki's. He just wished he knew what she was feeling, what her Grandmother had done or was doing... and, as if she could sense his very thoughts, Mika looked apologetically at Kyoya, "I have to go."

Kyoya nodded, put a reassuring pressure on her hand… and refocused his attention back on the window, Tamaki's ramblings providing a smoothing white noise as he watched the cherry blossoms fall from the trees… and the girl he loved walk slowly out the white doors.

Mika carefully she put one foot in front of the other towards the Chairman's office, where her Grandmother tended to stay when she visited the academy. She was probably waiting for Mika to reveal some big secret that Mika had discovered, or some huge scheme or idea to destroy Kyoya. If any, Mika should've at least prepared another lie, but for the past three weeks, she hadn't been thinking of maintaining the thin veil she had placed over her Grandmother's eyes. She had been thinking about school, her brother… Kyoya. And now, she was going to pay for it.

She entered the office lobby, and there, sorting through some files, she someone made her stop in her tracks. Mr. Suoh… her father. Not knowing what to do, Mika bent down, awkwardly bowing to her father, unsure of what to say… because this was the first time she had seen her father since she had returned. Finally, she spoke, "Hello, Chairman."

"Mika," he said. "Your grandmother told me you had returned to Japan. How was your internship?"

Mika stood up, but didn't make eye contact "It was fine. I'm glad to be back though."

Mr. Suoh nodded, "As we all are, I assure you. But, I really do hope you decide to stay this semester…"

"Of course I'm staying the semester." Mika said almost too suddenly.

"Oh." Mr. Suoh said, a little taken aback. "Your grandmother was saying that you were thinking about another internship for the spring..."

"Then Mrs. Suoh is mistaken," Mika said firmly, though her nervousness was increasing by the second. "I have no plans of leaving anytime soon."

Her father kept the stunned look on his face, until finally it melted away into a look Mika couldn't quite place; not quite relief, but not quite affection. He put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad to hear that, Mika. The three of us should have lunch sometime; You, me and your brother."

Mika nodded slightly, her expression not changing, "I'm sure Tamaki would be happy to see you."

And with that, Mr. Suoh left the lobby without another word, the hidden gravity of their conversation haunting Mika ever so lightly, as she took the final steps into the office, where Ms. Suoh waited.

"Mika, you are trying my patience," Mrs. Suoh said as soon as Mika entered the room, "You have been with Kyoya Ootori for three weeks now, and from what I hear, I see no hint of his dethronement anytime soon."

"It's not a dethronement, Kyoya isn't the head of the Host club," Mika tried to protest.

"Of course, not the blind eye." Mrs. Suoh said harshly, "He is the shadow king, Mika. He is the true center of the host club, the one who makes sure that vulgar operation stays in business." She smirked cruelly, "Do you really think my dimwitted grandson would last a day having to run that club on his own? No. Kyoya is the key and I see no progress in what I ordered you."

"These things take time, Ms. Suoh…"

"And I have given you three weeks!" Ms. Suoh said. "You will now play according to my rules, Mika." She said, her eyes glazed in a plotting manner, her fingers drumming on the table. "At the Ouran Host Club Winter Ball, there will be a moment to acknowledge all the couples and wish them a new year. Knowing Tamaki, he will give a special wish for you and Kyoya… and I want you to tell Kyoya, in front of the entire school, that you never loved him."

Mika's heart stopped beating and she flinched back. "No." she breathed, almost involuntarily.

Her grandmother froze, "What did you say?"

"No… I… I can't do it, there has to be another…"

"Do you think I'm blind, Mika? Do you think I can't see what you're trying to do here?"

Mika felt her breath catch in her throat, her heart rate racing, and her grip of the chair turning her knuckles white. "Mrs. Suoh…"

"You think that by dragging this out, I'll just forget about this entire thing, and you all can live happily ever after?"

"You don't understand…"

"Oh, I understand perfectly. You want to protect your precious Kyoya. But I gave you an order. And you don't carry it through, I'll send you so far from Japan…"

"Why?" Mika screamed, her face pale, her knuckles white. "Why can't you just leave Kyoya and the host club alone? I've seen what they do there, Grandmother. They make people happy. They've done nothing wrong. Tamaki… it makes him feel like he has a purpose. He's alive, he's happy."

"It's an abomination."

"It's a club!" Mika shouted. "It's a club where everyone can feel happy, safe, and loved. Kyoya makes me feel loved, and I... and I love him, Mrs. Suoh. And anything you say here in this room will not change anything I feel, and I will _not_ help you hurt him."

"I don't think you understand Mika." Mrs. Suoh said, leaning in close, her eyes thin and black, "I have the power to do anything and everything to make every moment you live unbearable. I can ruin your life…"

"Make me hurt Kyoya, and my life is already ruined." Mika stared her Grandmother straight in the eye, and began to stand up. _What am I doing? _She thought panicked; _I'm ruining my chances of staying in Japan. What if she makes me leave… _But, right now, she didn't care. Mrs. Suoh had kept Mika under her thumb her entire life, ruined her self-esteem, made her live every moment in fear, doing her dirty work…

For this one moment, even if it was the last, Mika was determined to live for only one person: her.

"Get yourself another rat, Mrs. Suoh," Mika said as she walked towards the door. "Because I'm through with playing your games." And with that, she slammed the door, and, for the first time, left her Grandmother. But, if Mika hadn't closed the door so vehemently behind her, she might have been able to hear the start her Grandmother's freshly dialed telephone conversation: "It's Inoue Suoh. I've reconsidered the offer you made recently about my granddaughter… there is much to discuss."

Once Mika entered the hallway, she felt as though she was able to breathe again. She had done it! She, Mika Suoh, had finally, after years, stood up to her Grandmother and spoken her mind. She didn't care if the feeling was temporary and that she had just angered the most powerful woman in all Japan: Mika felt liberated, she felt freed. Finally, she could be with Kyoya with any backstabbing or secret keeping: She may have just sacrificed her entire world to be with Kyoya, but, it was a sacrifice she was willing to make.

"Kyoya, I've given you a week." Yoshiro addressed his son at dinner the following night. "What have you done about that dumb blonde girl?"

"Mika." Kyoya said softly without looking up from his plate. "Her name Is Mika."

"Kyoya, it doesn't matter what her name is." Mr. Ootori said, taking in a deep breath. "What matters is your future. If you keep playing your cards the way you have been, you might have the possibility of a future here at the Ootori industries. Think about what's best for you and for the company." When Kyoya didn't respond, Yoshiro stood up and walked up behind him, "I have faith that you have a chance to make something good out of the situation you've been given. A future, an education, a business… think of all your goals…"

Kyoya kept his head down, his chest like a twisted iron thorn bush, heavy and hard, jabbing in between each rib. Everything he had worked for… all the hoops he had to jump through to get to where he was and now his father was threatening to take that all away, lock him in a cage where he could never be anything more than the worthless third son. He closed his eyes. There was no way he'd ever be able to live like that. No goals, no prospects… that would be hell. But… no Mika?

"Kyoya… Are you willing to sacrifice your entire life, your entire world, just for this girl?""

Finally, Kyoya looked inside himself and used all the strength he could conjure to say that one word, his throat rough and burning. "No." He clenched his fists, the words bitter on his tongue. "No, I can't."


End file.
